Adult High School Equivalency Scholarship

What you will need

• ✓ Completed application form submitted via Alberta Student Aid account or paper
• ✓ Official transcript of the high school equivalency program (must have official signature or seal; no photocopies or faxes)
• ✓ Nomination letter from the head of the institution where the equivalency program was completed, including date, name, and signature
• ✓ Verified Alberta.ca Account with 2-Step Verification

About this award

You can receive a $500 award. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. There are up to 200 of these awards available. This is for you if you are a mature student who returned to finish your high school equivalency and is now moving forward with post-secondary education. You must apply between August 1 and January 15. No specific notification date is posted publicly — check your Alberta Student Aid account or call their office to confirm when you will hear back about your application. Recipients are selected based on your academic achievement in your high school equivalency program. Selection criteria aren't published in detail — ask Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid) how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Your award is sent to you after Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid) confirms you are enrolled full-time at a post-secondary institution. Ask them during your application if the money is sent to you directly or applied to your tuition so you can plan your cash flow. Renewal conditions aren't listed — if you're counting on this for multiple years, confirm with Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid) whether it's a one-time award or if you can apply again.

Who qualifies

To qualify, you must be a Canadian citizen, a Permanent Resident of Canada, or a Protected Person (someone with refugee or protected-person status in Canada). Visa students cannot apply. You must also be an Alberta resident. To meet the residency rule, one of these must be true: your parent or legal guardian lived in Canada for 12 consecutive months before you started post-secondary and lives in Alberta; Alberta is where you lived for 12 consecutive months before starting post-secondary; or your spouse or partner is an Alberta resident. Additionally, you must have been out of high school for at least three years before starting a high school equivalency program. You must have completed that program after September 1, 1992, with an average of at least 80% (or a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale). A qualifying program is defined as one fall or winter semester of 80% full-time upgrading courses, which means taking at least four courses in one semester. Finally, you must be currently enrolled full-time in a post-secondary institution in Alberta or anywhere else.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

• ✓ Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person
• ✓ Open to post-secondary students
• ✓ Resident of Alberta

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Order your transcript1–2 weeks

   Your school's registrar can take a week or two.

3. 3

   Submit your application

   Save a copy, and submit at least a day before the deadline shown above.

Tips for applying

• NominationAvoid sending a generic letter. Instead, ensure your nomination letter is signed by the head of the institution where you did your equivalency and includes the official's name and the date. Contact your former school administrator early to secure this signature.
• SupportAvoid sending photocopies or faxed transcripts. Instead, request an official transcript with a signature or seal directly from your school. If you are already in post-secondary, ask your current registrar's office to handle the request.
• StrategyAvoid using a school email address for your account. Instead, use a personal email to create and verify your Alberta Student Aid account. This ensures you don't lose access to your funding notifications after you graduate.
• RealismAvoid assuming this is a guaranteed grant. Instead, remember that there are only 200 awards available for all eligible students in the province. Apply as soon as the window opens on August 1 to stay organized.

Questions students ask

Similar awards

• Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid)Sir James Lougheed Award of Distinction$20,000
• Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid)Keyera Energy - Peter J. Renton Memorial Scholarship$3,000
• Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid)Canadian Oil Sands Network for Research and Development (CONRAD) Scholarship$5,000
• Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid)Alberta Junior Athletic Award$2,000
• Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid)Jo-Anne Koch for Bright Children Society Scholarship$1,500
• Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid)Maria Sava Polish Heritage Scholarship$1,000
• Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid)Alberta Excellence in Agriculture Scholarship$1,500
• Government of Alberta (Alberta Student Aid)Alberta Award for the Study of Canadian Human Rights and Multiculturalism$15,000